1) The ALCS sample size for Nava is just 7 PAs. He has a .333 BA and 429 OBP (.762 OPS)

2) Nava had an OBP of .411 this season vs RHPs in a decent sample size.

3) Nava has a career .390 OBP vs righties and an .833 OPS.

Gomes:

1) Gomes had 16 PAs in the ALCS, despite every starter being a righty. He has a .188 BA and a .188 OBP (.438 OPS)

2) Against lefties in 2013, Jonny batted .258 with an OBP of .341 (.745 OPS).

3) Gomes has a career .225 BA and .310 OBP vs RHPs with an OPS of .733.

Neither is a great fielder.

I get the energy Gomes brings to the clubhouse and dugout, but just because Nava is not all fired up 24/7, does not mean he isn't the better choice to help our team win. I'm not putting down Farrell. We have won all 6 games the Gomes started, but there certainly is a good case (on paper) for backing Nava as the starter vs righties. There certainly should be a feeling that Nava is being snubbed through no fault of his own.

ADG's point that Gomes coming off the bench to face a lefty holds a lot of weight. He has been a fantastic PH'er this year, so starting Nava vs RH'd starters and using Gomes vs a lefty reliever seems to give us the best of both worlds.

(FYI: Gomes has a 1.405 OPS as a PH'er this year with 4 HRs in 21 ABs.)

A good topic for debate for sure but Farrell is going with his hunch and that is Gomes. But carry on anyway and pretend that you are the manager.

By your warped & controling standards, we would literally have nothing to debate on this site. Dude! You seriously need some help. Go to controlfreaksanonymous.com! PLEASE!

Great topic for debate, and I find myself hedging. I've been one of Nava's biggest supporters on this site. He has had a season for the ages! This kid has been solid all year long, and prehaps our must unsung hero in this incredible season. Look at the number! He's been a team leader all year long with respect to almost every production catagory, & played a very solid LF.

On the other hand, Gomes does seem to bring an intangible spark, & definitive POP! No doubt the numbers would dictate that he has EARNED playing against righties! Without question. Gomes should be brought in in the late innings, as he does a hell of a job off the bench.

TOUGH CALL! The guys do seem to rally around Gomes though????? Very tough call! I do feel badly for Nava! NOBODY has done more to earn a spot in the lineup! NOBODY!

A good topic for debate for sure but Farrell is going with his hunch and that is Gomes. But carry on anyway and pretend that you are the manager.

didn't not double check but I'm thinking

save all your superstats

2013 play offs

sox with gomes 7-0

without 0-3

I know what you're saying, but sometimes I think we give people too much credit. These wins might be due to Gomes being in the lineup, or they might be due to the fact that my Aunt Edith was at every game they won and wasn't there at the games they lost.

I know what you're saying, but sometimes I think we give people too much credit. These wins might be due to Gomes being in the lineup, or they might be due to the fact that my Aunt Edith was at every game they won and wasn't there at the games they lost.

A good topic for debate for sure but Farrell is going with his hunch and that is Gomes. But carry on anyway and pretend that you are the manager.

By your warped & controling standards, we would literally have nothing to debate on this site. Dude! You seriously need some help. Go to controlfreaksanonymous.com! PLEASE!

Great topic for debate, and I find myself hedging. I've been one of Nava's biggest supporters on this site. He has had a season for the ages! This kid has been solid all year long, and prehaps our must unsung hero in this incredible season. Look at the number! He's been a team leader all year long with respect to almost every production catagory, & played a very solid LF.

On the other hand, Gomes does seem to bring an intangible spark, & definitive POP! No doubt the numbers would dictate that he has EARNED playing against righties! Without question. Gomes should be brought in in the late innings, as he does a hell of a job off the bench.

TOUGH CALL! The guys do seem to rally around Gomes though????? Very tough call! I do feel badly for Nava! NOBODY has done more to earn a spot in the lineup! NOBODY!

A small sample size. if Victorino didn't hit the GS, his numbers would look just as bad. Nava has had a great season. Next to Koji, I'd say he's been the biggest surprise.

When this series goes to STL, the bench looks great: Nava, Carp, Ross (hot lately), WMB (incentive to produce).......and, uh, well, Napoli/Ortiz? That's more than half an MLB starting caliber lineup in and of itself.

"I don't think it's a bad thing. If anything, it's a problem that's good to have," Nava said. "It's like when you're looking at ice cream -- what's your favorite ice cream? I've got two flavors. Is it bad I love both these flavors this much? Now, we are not ice cream, but the same thing -- neither of them are bad. If they put me in, either way, we've got a good chance to help the team win. Skip came up to me and said, 'Hey, man, just wanted to let you know I've still got you, yada yada,' and I said, 'If you want to put (Gomes) in there, that's great. If you want to put me in there, that's great.' We just want to win the World Series."

"I don't think it's a bad thing. If anything, it's a problem that's good to have," Nava said. "It's like when you're looking at ice cream -- what's your favorite ice cream? I've got two flavors. Is it bad I love both these flavors this much? Now, we are not ice cream, but the same thing -- neither of them are bad. If they put me in, either way, we've got a good chance to help the team win. Skip came up to me and said, 'Hey, man, just wanted to let you know I've still got you, yada yada,' and I said, 'If you want to put (Gomes) in there, that's great. If you want to put me in there, that's great.' We just want to win the World Series."

Nava's a team guy and knows that it's not the time or the place to chirp in the press about playing time. trust me he wants to play and knows that in the big picture there's little to gain from being honest and telling the truth...Which is that he wants to play and has to be disappointed that he's not, or at least I would hope he is.

Bottom line is he's playing on a team with a chance to win it all and given where he's come from and the road he traveled to get here. He has to be pinching himself everynight before he goes to bed to make sure that he's not dreaming. His job now appears to be another lefthanded pinch hitter and with that he has to stay sharp take his cuts in BP and be ready when his number is called...

1) The ALCS sample size for Nava is just 7 PAs. He has a .333 BA and 429 OBP (.762 OPS)

2) Nava had an OBP of .411 this season vs RHPs in a decent sample size.

3) Nava has a career .390 OBP vs righties and an .833 OPS.

Gomes:

1) Gomes had 16 PAs in the ALCS, despite every starter being a righty. He has a .188 BA and a .188 OBP (.438 OPS)

2) Against lefties in 2013, Jonny batted .258 with an OBP of .341 (.745 OPS).

3) Gomes has a career .225 BA and .310 OBP vs RHPs with an OPS of .733.

Neither is a great fielder.

I get the energy Gomes brings to the clubhouse and dugout, but just because Nava is not all fired up 24/7, does not mean he isn't the better choice to help our team win. I'm not putting down Farrell. We have won all 6 games the Gomes started, but there certainly is a good case (on paper) for backing Nava as the starter vs righties. There certainly should be a feeling that Nava is being snubbed through no fault of his own.

ADG's point that Gomes coming off the bench to face a lefty holds a lot of weight. He has been a fantastic PH'er this year, so starting Nava vs RH'd starters and using Gomes vs a lefty reliever seems to give us the best of both worlds.

(FYI: Gomes has a 1.405 OPS as a PH'er this year with 4 HRs in 21 ABs.)

Thank you moon. Everyone is saying they won anyway, yes that's true. But who's to say if Nava plays the Red Sox don't score more runs and maybe they would have won in 5. It just makes logical sense. If Gomes was hitting, okay, but he hasn't provided anything.

With a righty starter, start the lefty who has produced. Nava got you there. Give him some AB's. It's unfair to him.